1820. Sept. 8

Emancipation Spanish

'. 14 Dominion hurts England

The impossibility will /may/ be no argument with your rulers who will have their

profit from the patronage: but it will be with you

The impracticability may not apply at all: but let it apply to many or few, there is

expense which will more than absorb the profit.

With regard to the practicability of maintaining any such dominion, and at the same

time deriving any profit from it any profit always understood to the subject many -

the case of England may afford some instruction to you some instruction may be

afforded to you by the case of England.

Before the Revolutionary war which converted so many dependent English colonies into

Independent States, England possessed the dominion over those distant countries as

she does still over so many others.

But from this dominion, what to them on whom the expence of it was charged, was the

alleged benefit? Not alleviation of taxes by means of money drawn by taxes from these

dependencies: no: nothing in this shape: nothing in any other shape than that of a

supposed advantage in trade: an advantage in trade, drawn from sources from which it

is now generally acknowledged that no advantage can be derived

As to the applying of taxation there to the purpose of restricting money for /to/

the ruling country for its own use, it has all along been a principle of the

Constitution that nothing of this sort should be attempted. In the early part of the

late reign the attempt was for the first time made: and it was by this attempt that

the emancipation was brought about.

In consequence of this or that peace this or that island passed from this or that

country into /under/ the dominion of England. In the thus conquered island taxes were

found established: taxes the produce of which had been brought to the country to

which it was subject. Here then it may be said there was a profit to the ruling

country.- No such thing.
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  • Title: [1820. Aug. 15. 1821 April 4 Rid yourselves]
    Description: 1820. Aug. 15. 1821 April 4

    Rid yourselves of Ultramaria

    Ult r

    Lett 14 Relinquishment profitable

    Once more, What is it you would have? Advantages in trade? See, in what is above,

    causes of them in abundance flowing in upon you in unbounded streams, and without

    penal laws for conduits to it: conduits which, on pretence of enlarging the stream,

    do but absorb and stop it.

    Would you have quantities, proportions, figures? Well then, if what is

    possible in this way will content you, even these shall not be wanting to you: yes:

    from the Anglo-American Seybert you shall have them. In his observatory stands an

    excellent telescope, if patience and self-command will but serve you for a peep into

    it. True it is that, in any such glass, you can not exactly see Spain and Spanish America, But, what you may see

    is England and English America: and, as to the matter here

    in question, two cases, more exactly parallel, need not be wished for. If after the relinquishment of her dominion over that portion

    of English America, the quantity of money or money's worth drawn by England from that

    same region through the channel of trade - and this too even the very next of [...?]

    - was greater than before, - what should render the

    advantage less to Spain, in the event of her relinquishing her portion of dominion in that same distant continent? - of so ample was the

    advantage, where the emancipation was the result of sad necessity, extorted from

    adversary by adversary as the price of peace, - how much more ample may it not be

    expected to be, if, as here proposed, it be the result of spontaneous wisdom and

    benevolence, given freely and gratuitously, by kinsman to kinsman - by friend to

    friend - for hope of mutual encrease?

    If, then, this sort of proof will satisfy you, - if, on this occasion, you will be

    content with such assurance - with such prophecy - as history can give, behold now

    the promised quantities proportions, figures. (a)

    In the geographical field of the observation, take Great Britain with those [...?]

    of the now four and twenty Independent and United States, which at the first of their

    periods in question were Anglo-American Colonies: for the particular subject matter

    of the observation, take the aggregate value of the articles imported from the Mother

    Country to those same territories at the two different periods.

    1. On an average of the [...?] years 1771, 1772, 1773 (being then those years next

    before that of the war made upon the children by this under [...?] annual amount no

    more than ... , /Pounds Sterling/ 3,064,823: [...?] 306,484,300

    2. A o 1784 - being the next year to that in which peace with them

    was made and their independence recognized, amount /risen already to/ ,3,359,864:

    335, 986, 400

    3 On an average of the years 1798, 1799, 1800, namely in 14 years, behold [...?]

    nearly doubled: the amount having risen to .... ,6,507,478: 650,747,800.

    Note.

    (a). Seybert's statistical annals Philadelphia 1818 4. to p.

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  • Title: [[clxii. 4] 1820 July 24 Emancipation]
    Description: [clxii. 4]

    1820 July 24

    Emancipation Spanish

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    I. Creoles willing

    5. Men sent from Spanish America to serve in a military capacity in Spain. From this source no relief in respect of diminution of taxes would be experienced by the subject many in Spain: at a less price than it would cost to import them, men might be obtained for this service either in Spain or in some other country of Europe.

    In the above may be seen sources of supply at the charge of Spanish America that ever have been or ever (it is believed) could be resorted to under the notion of affording relief or benefit in a pecuniary shape to the subject many in Spain.

    In the way of trade - meaning free trade - no benefit in any shape can be derivable to the subject many in Spain from any such dominion. For the trading of any one country with any other, and deriving whatsoever benefit is derivable from such trading it is neither necessary nor conducive that either should exercise dominion over the other. (a)

    (a) The trade between Great Britain and the American United States is greater in a prodigious degree it ever was before thay shook off their dependence.
  • Title: [[clxii. 3] 1820 July 24 Emancipation]
    Description: [clxii. 3]

    1820 July 24

    Emancipation Spanish

    Summary

    I Creoles willing

    The only sources from which any such supply can be looked for are - taxation at large, Mine-rents or Mine-taxes - duties and restraints on production and trade.

    1. To Taxation at large, for such a purpose, voluntary submission could not long, on any tolerably assured grounds, be expected. It was by the opposite determination that the yoke of England was cast off by the American United States.

    2. Payment of money to Spain by the occupiers of mines in Spanish America, whether under the name of rents or taxes would be considered as submission to taxation: if levied at all the contributions thus levied uopon the fruits of the land and labour of the people in Spanish America ought to be applied (they would think) in easement of the taxes borne by the people of the province or state in which the mines are situated, and not to the enrichment of strangers at so vast a distance. (a)

    3. By restraints in production and trade imposed on the subject many by the ruling few, no net advntage in a pecuniary shape is derivable by any body: by those by whom, or those for the sake of whom, they are imposed. In so far as taxes on trade are imposed, correspondent restraints upon trade are indeed among the inseperable consequences: but from this net advantage is received or is now so expected, beyond the mere produce of the tax. (b)

    4. Money which by Spaniards sent from Spain might be received in the shape of official emolument attached to official situations in Spanish America. From this source no relief in respect diminution of taxes would be experienced by the subject many in Spain: the benefit would be engrossed by the ruling few in that country.

    Note (a) According to Townsend Journey through Spain II 413. 2d.

    Edition King's utmost-exigible mine rent, on silver no more than 10 per cent; on gold, than 5 per Cent.

    Note (b) In England this has of late been publickly recognized by persons of all descriptions. Merchants, Ministers, Members of the House of Lords Members of the House of Commons - not a dissenting voice. In Debates of both Houses in July 1820.